Fur-pelt stretcher



July 12,1192?. Y M WMEEK 1,635,557l

FUR vPFLT STRETCHER Filed Deo. 5l. 1925 Patented JulyY 12, 1927.

Y yraisin'cantus W. MEER, '.aa'c'zinrn, oanrroama Y" f ,A f

rUnanLr sranrcnnn.

f application mea December s1, i925. seriaruarvasar.,

My invention relates to a combined' holder and stretcher forV the pelts of fur-bearing animals and particularly the smaller varieties of animals, for instance, rabbits, foxes, minks, and the like, the principal objects of my invention being to generally improve upon and simplify the construct-ion of the existing forms of fur or pelt stretchers and to provide a device of the character referred to that will tend to exert constant pressure in stretching the fur or pelt and said device being constructed so as to effectually prevent the pelt or fur from contracting lengthwise during the fur stretching and drying operations.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a fur stretcher that is relatively simple in construction and which is capablev of being easily and cheaply produced.

With the foregoing and other objects in veiw, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- A Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a fur stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the stretcher.

The fur stretcher contemplated by my invention is formed from a single section of wire having a certain degree ofv resiliency and the central portion of the wire section is bent to form a coil spring 10 and which has at least two or three convolutions. From the sides of this coil the wire is extended in parallel tangential lines to form short legs 11 and from the ends of the latter the wire is bent outwardly to form short shoulder portions 12 that occupy positions approximately at right angles to the planes occupied by the legs 11. From the outer ends of the shoulder portions 12 the wire extends in planes that are .approximately parallel with the planes occupied by the legs 11 to form a pair of elongated legs or arms 13 which serve as a support for the furor pelt that is stretched. y v

The terminal portions of these legs or arms 13 are bent slightly outward away from each other and sharpened to form points or prongs 14 and the portions of the legs or arms adjacent to said terminal points are bent into corrugated form as designated by 15.

Under normal conditions or 'while the stretcher' is not in use the armsr or legs 13 are spread apart as illustrated by solid lines in Fig. l and when thefstretcher is applied to a. pelt the arms or legs'are drawn inwardly toward each other in order that the device may be readily inserted lengthwise through the pelt and with the coil l0 and legs 11 projecting through an opening at the head or neck portion of the pelt.` l

The contracted or shoulder portions of the pelt bear directly upon theshoulder members 12 of the stretcher and, Where the pelt is of sufficient length, after being stretched lengthwise onY the device the lower' or rear end of the pelt is engaged on theprongs l14:

and thus the pelt or skin is elfectually retained in stretched condition on the device.,`

n If the pelt yor skin is not long enough .to be engaged at its lower end upon the prongs 14, the lower portion of said: skin or pelt will be engaged by the corrugations 15 on the lower portions of the arms or legs 13 and as the pelt or skin dries it will be held byv said corrugations against contracting lengthwise. Y

While the' stretcher is in use the resiliency of the spring portion 10 tendsy to spread the arms or legs 13 apart and as a result the supported skin or pelt will be effectually stretched.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a relatively simple, practicaland easil applied fur or pelt stretcher, the same eing constructed so as to effectually prevent the skin or pelt from contracting lengthwise during the drying and stretching period.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the va- .rious parts of my improved fur pelt stretcherl may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope ofwhich is set forth in the appended claims. r

I claim as my invention: .i

l. A fur stretcher composed of a section of wire, the central portion of which isv bent to form a coil, portions of the -Wire adjacent to saidcoil being-bent outward away lfrom each other to form. abrupt pelt-supporting shoulders, the portions of wire between said l shoulders and thel ends Iof the section of wireconstituting pelt-supporting arms, the ends of which are pointed and portions of which arms adjacent to said pointed ends are corrugated.

2. A fur stretcher composed of a section of Wire, the central portion of which is bent tion of wire extending from the outer ends ofV to forma coil, portions of therwire innnedisaid shoulder in substantially straight lines 10v ately adjacent to said coil being extended in to form elongated pelt-supporting arms, the the same direction tol form :short parallel ends of which are pointed and portions of legs, portions of theV Wire adjacent to said which arms adj acentto said pointed ends are legs being bent outwardly away from each corrugated,

other s0 as to form abrupt pelt-supporting In testimony whereof I aiX my signature. shoulders, the remaining portions of the sec- A MARCELLUS W. MEEK. 

